PBA D-League sets rookie draft

The PBA Developmental League will now require new players to apply for the Rookie Draft to be eligible to play for the 2014 season set to start on Oct. 24 at the Ynares Sports Arena.

Rickie Santos, the PBA’s director for operations, said the PBA D-League will start accepting applications on Tuesday until Sept. 12. The Rookie Draft is scheduled on Sept. 19.
“Team representatives were briefed on the rules and mechanics of the Draft, as well as other league policies and new playing rules,“ Santos said after the scheduled team managers’ meeting Friday at the PBA Office.

Santos said the drafting order will be determined by the team’s length of stay in the league and rankings in the last two conferences. That means founding members Café France, Cebuana Lhuillier, Boracay Rum, Big Chill, Blackwater Sports and NLEX will select first, followed by later entries Cagayan Valley, Hogs’ Breath and Jumbo Plastic.

The order of selection for the new teams will be determined by lottery.

A new player who has been included in the list of “varsity players“ by a “school-based team“ need not join the Draft. However, he loses his right to play in the event the “school-based team“ changed its status anytime during the tournament.

A team should have at least six “varsity players from a given school in its line-up to be classified as “school-based“ team.

A player, who joins the Draft but is not drafted by any PBA-D League teams, automatically becomes a rookie free agent and is then free to sign up with any team.

Likewise, a player who is drafted but not given the required Tender Offer within five days after the Draft shall be considered a free agent. He also can sign up with any team.

Representatives of 14 teams attended the meeting with a couple more signifying their interest in joining the 2014 PBA D-League Season. Teams have until August 29 to submit their letter of intent to join.